A cancer diagnosis can be traumatic, but so can life-saving treatments. Cancer survivors often face serious and debilitating side effects, sometimes spending a lifetime without ever fully recovering.
An innovative new program at St. Jude Medical Center is changing that. St. Jude is proud to be the first in California to receive STAR (Survivorship Training and Rehabilitation) certification, considered the gold standard in cancer rehabilitation. With specialized training through the STAR Program, our multidisciplinary team is uniquely qualified to understand and manage the effects of cancer and cancer treatments on daily life.
The St. Jude Cancer Rehabilitation and Wellness Program is helping cancer survivors heal, emotionally and physically, more quickly and more completely. By addressing symptoms from pain and weakness to depression and anxiety, the program is giving those who already fought for their survival a chance to truly regain their quality of life.
The community is invited to a celebration showcasing the new program:
When:
Thursday, June 21, 6 – 7:30 p.m.
Where:
St. Jude Centers for Rehabilitation and Wellness
2767 E. Imperial Hwy., Brea, CA 92821
The event is free, but space is limited, RSVP required by calling (800) 870-7537
Special Performance: Actor David Wright's entertaining and touching one-man show,
With Flying Colors, about his recovery from cancer. A regular on TV shows such as
The Office,
Criminal Minds, and
Desperate Housewives, Wright's memorable performance moves from the trying times of chemotherapy to the lighter side of hospital life and beyond into the wonders of life. From angels to Jell-O, it is a true story of survival that will stay with you for a long time.
The St. Jude Cancer Rehabilitation and Wellness Program serves all cancer survivors, whether just beginning treatment, finished with treatment, or experiencing unresolved issues from treatment long ago. The program is open to everyone no matter the prognosis, cancer stage or phase of recovery.
"At too many hospitals, care ends with the last treatment," explains Ryan Olsen, Vice President, Operations. "Patients suffering from side effects are expected to return to work and family routines and told to get used to their new 'normal' of fatigue and weakness."
At St. Jude, cancer survivors receive help from a team of oncology rehabilitation experts including physical therapists, psychologists, pain specialists, occupational therapists, nutritionists, social workers and health and wellness professionals. The newest evidence-based cancer rehabilitation practices are combined with an innovative list of services, from aquatic therapy and incontinence programs, to nutrition counseling and job reentry.
"Cancer treatment is about surviving," says Olsen. "Cancer rehabilitation is about regaining your life."
About St. Jude Medical Center
St. Jude Medical Center is part of St. Joseph Health. St. Jude is a faith-based, non-profit, 384-bed facility, and one of Southern California's most-respected and technologically-advanced hospitals. With over 700 of the area's finest physicians on staff, St. Jude offers nearly every medical specialty and sub-specialty. Whether for the birth of a baby, life-saving surgery or a routine mammogram, St. Jude continues to set the standard for medical care and offers the community the most comprehensive array of services and programs.